OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of the early pelviscopic intervention in the acute pelvic inflammatory disease of reproductive aged female. METHODS: A clinical evaluation for 30 women who underwent pelviscopic pus drainage in the pelvic inflammatory disease from September 2001 to December 2004 was done. This study group was compared with the control group that 34 cases of intravenous antibiotics treatment performed and we evaluated the clinical and laboratory findings were recorded for all patients before and after treatment. RESULTS: The mean hospital stay was 7.8 days and 6.9 days respectively (p=0.25). There was statistical difference in regarding to febrile status period, that is febrile status was significantly improved in pelviscopy group. The febrile status of the study group was normalized within postoperative third day except 1 case that postoperative hematoma was formed in cul de sac, but it was not normalized within hospital fifth day in 6 cases (27%) of the control group (p=0.05). But there was no statistical difference between the two groups in regarding to clinical symptom free period except febrile status, WBC count change, and ESR/CRP count change. CONCLUSION: In this study, no significant difference was found between the two groups in regarding to clinical progress. But this study suggested that the early pelviscopic pus drainage was effective first line treatment method for the acute pelvic inflammatory disease with less complications and relatively rapid clinical improvement. However further study with more expanded cases that early pelviscopic intervention was done for the prevention of long term complications of pelvic inflammatory disease will be needed.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Drainage* ; Early Intervention (Education)* ; Female ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease* ; Suppuration*

Spontaneous uterine rupture of the unscarred uterus during the second trimester of pregnancy is rare, but it is a surgical emergency. Because it results in rapid deterioration of patient and high mortality despite of prompt operation and massive transfusion, early diagnosis and proper management are critical for optimizing patient care. We present a case of spontaneous uterine rupture with fetal death in 14 weeks gestation with a brief review of literatures.
Early Diagnosis ; Emergencies ; Female ; Fetal Death ; Humans ; Mortality ; Patient Care ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second ; Pregnancy* ; Uterine Rupture* ; Uterus*

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the efficacy of EMG biofeedback and pelvic floor electrical stimulation in the stress urinary incontinence patients by Kontinence HMT2000. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A group of 14 patients with stress urinary incontinence were treated with combined biofeedback and intravaginal electrical stimulation during 12 sessions from 2 weeks to 6 weeks. RESULTS: At immediate post treatment, subjective cure rate was 28% and improvement rate was 57% and failure rate was 15%. Thus the overall success rate for this treatment was 85%. The result of 3 months after treatment showed cure rate 14% and improvement rate was 43%. Intravaginal pressure increased by an average of 11.9 cmH2O. Increased vaginal pressure was found in 93% of the patients and more than 50% increment of intravaginal pressure was 71%. CONCLUSIONS: Combined biofeedback and pelvic floor electrical stimulation by use of Kontinence HMT2000 is effective for the patients who have good compliance, relative low degree stress urinary incontinence. In order to attain good results, a well structured program that teaches specific muscle exercise and the patients should be followed by regular interval reinforcement treatment.
Biofeedback, Psychology* ; Compliance ; Electric Stimulation* ; Humans ; Pelvic Floor ; Urinary Incontinence*

BACKGROUND: Secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) are a group of extracellular enzymes that release fatty acids at the sn-2 position of phospholipids. Group IIA sPLA2 (sPLA2-IIA) has been detected in the inflammatory fluids, and its plasma level increases in the inflammatory disease. This study examined the effect of sPLA2-IIA on mouse macropahges in order to investigate the potential mechanism of sPLA2-induced inflammation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Wild type PLA2 and mutant H48Q PLA2 were purified from HEK293 cells transfected with the corresponding plasmids, and the PLA2 activities were measured using 1-palmitoyl-2-[1- (14) C]linoleoyl-3-phosphatidylethanolamine as substrates. The TNF-alpha and IL-6 released in the supernatants were determined by ELISA. In addition, the TNF-alpha and IL-6 mRNA were analyzed by RT-PCR. RESULTS: sPLA2-IIA stimulated the production of TNF-alpha and IL-6 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In addition, the effect of sPLA2-IIA on cytokine production from the macrophage was found to be associated with the accumulation of their specific mRNA. The mRNA levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 peaked at 2 and 6 hours in a time-dependent manner, respectively. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the production of proinflammatory cytokine might be mediated by the binding of sPLA2-IIA to the receptors.
Animals ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fatty Acids ; Group II Phospholipases A2* ; HEK293 Cells ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-6* ; Macrophages ; Mice ; Phospholipases A2, Secretory ; Phospholipids ; Plasma ; Plasmids ; RNA, Messenger ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*

Papillary thyroid carcinomas are the most common type of thyroid malignancy, and have more excellent prognosis compared to other types of thyroid malignancy, with rare occurrences of distant metastasis. The most frequent sites for distant metastases are the lungs and bones, but brain metastases are extremely rare, with a frequency of only 0.1~5% in reported series. Hence we report a patient with a papillary thyroid carcinoma metastasis to the right parietal lobe of brain, the lung, the left chest wall and right acetabulum, with a review of the literature.
Acetabulum ; Brain* ; Carcinoma, Papillary* ; Humans ; Lung ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Parietal Lobe ; Prognosis ; Thoracic Wall ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms

Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid gland is an extremely rare case to observe and represents less than 1% in all the primary thyroid malignancies. Normally, squamous epithelium is absent in the thyroid gland and presently; its origin is believed to arise from metaplasia of follicular epithelium. Cancer has very aggressive clinical behavior and a very poor prognosis with survival rates of less than 1 year. The best chances of survival have been achieved with complete resection followed by postoperative radiotherapy. Recently, we came across a case of 80-year-old woman with primary squamous cell cacinoma of the thyroid gland present in the background of Hashimoto's thyroiditis. The patient had swelling in the anterior neck portion from the past 20 days. On physical examinaton, 3x3cm2 hard and fixed ill defined mass was detected in the right lobe of thyroid. Repeated fine needle aspiration biopsy of the thyroid revealed the presence of carcinoma. Apparently, Palliative thyroidectomy was performed after 3 months of diagnosis. During operation, the tumor was revealed as a mass of 100mm in diameter and infiltrated the surrounding muscles, trachea and other soft tissue in the neck. After the operation, the patient's condition deteriorated and ultimately after 5 months of her initial visit, she died due to respiratory failure.
Aged, 80 and over ; Biopsy ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Diagnosis ; Epithelium ; Female ; Humans ; Metaplasia ; Muscles ; Neck ; Prognosis ; Radiotherapy ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Survival Rate ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroidectomy ; Thyroiditis ; Trachea

PURPOSE: To differentiate tuberculous enteritis and Crohn's disease with barium study using Bayes theory. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 34 patients with tuberculous enteritis (age range 16-86 years, mean age 43.3 years, M:F=19:15) and 36 patients with Crohn's disease (age range 19-78 years, mean age 35.2 years, M:F=18:18). These diagnoses were confirmed by therapeutic tests (tuberculous enteritis: 15, Crohn's disease:16) or histopathological examinations (tuberculous enteritis: 19, Crohn's disease: 20) conducted from January 1993 to May 2003. Three radiologists (two abdominal specialists and one trainee) analyzed each radiological finding of tuberculous enteritis and Crohn's disease by means of a barium enema and/or small bowel series. We used Fisher's exact test to verify the statistical significance of each radiological finding and p-values less than 0.05 were considered to be significant. We calculated the likelihood ratio (LR) of tuberculous enteritis versus Crohn's disease for each finding by employing Bayes theory. RESULTS: The radiological findings associated with a high likelihood ratio for tuberculous enteritis were the involvement of the cecum (LR=2.65) and ascending colon (LR=1.99), rigid narrowing (LR=1.94), shortening of the bowel (LR=1.99), haustral loss (LR=1.97) and sacculation (LR=3.88). The radiological findings associated with a high LR for Crohn's disease (low LR for tuberculous enteritis) were age between 20 and 29 years (LR=0.53), the involvement of the jejunum (LR=0.12), terminal ileum (LR=0.19), sigmoid colon (LR=0.30) or rectum (LR=0.17), and the presence of skip lesions (LR=0.19) or strictures (LR=0.21). With these LRs, the probability of the subject having tuberculous enteritis versus Crohn's disease could be calculated using Bayes theory. CONCLUSION: The analysis of a barium study using Bayes theory could provide an objective, easy and fast method of differentiating tuberculous enteritis and Crohn's disease.
Barium* ; Bays* ; Cecum ; Colon, Ascending ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Crohn Disease* ; Diagnosis ; Enema ; Enteritis* ; Humans ; Ileum ; Intestine, Small ; Jejunum ; Rectum ; Specialization ; Tuberculosis, Gastrointestinal

Congenital complete atrioventricular heart block(CCAVB) is a rare disease of the newborn that carries significant mortality and has a heterogenous etiology. It may occur as a result of the presence of maternal autoantibodies that are transferred to the fetus and affect the fetal heart or be associated with a congenital structural abnormality of the heart. Infants with CCAVB are at risk of diminished cardiac output and the subsequent development of congestive heart failure. We report two cases of CCAVB in newborns treated with pacemaker implantation after birth. The first case revealed CCAVB with patent ductus arteriosus and anti- Ro(SS-A) antibody in both of the mother and the newborn. The second case was accompanied with mitral regurgitation and tricuspid regurgitation, but anti-Ro(SS-A) antibody was absent in both of the mother and the newborn. Pacemaker implantation was performed for both cases and the result was favorable. We concluded that our experience supports that the pacemaker implantation in the newborn is feasible and beneficial in the treatment of CCAVB.
Atrioventricular Block* ; Autoantibodies ; Cardiac Output ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent ; Fetal Heart ; Fetus ; Heart ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Mitral Valve Insufficiency ; Mortality ; Mothers ; Parturition ; Rare Diseases ; Tricuspid Valve Insufficiency

Six hundred fifty-one metacarpal bones of Koreans were studied for variations in articular and non-articular surface and the number, position and direction of the diaphyseal nutrient foramina. The facets for articulation of the metacarpal bone with one another showed very frequent variations from the standard text-book description. The number and the sites of entry of the diaphyseal nutrient foramina also showed considerable variations. These findings show no apparent racial difference in variations of metacarpal bones between a Korean and an Indian.
Metacarpal Bones*

An intussusception in adulthood is an unusual cause of bowel obstruction. It accounts for up to 5% of all intussusception. Approximately 90% of cases are secondary to a definite lesion such as malignancy or lipoma. Most patients are asymptomatic and the lesion is often detected incidentally at colonoscopy, operation and autopsy. Strangulated intussuscetion is a rare case and also requires emergency operation. A 32-year-old woman visited our emergency room because of severe epigastric pain. Abdominal CT revealed a low density mass in bowel loop and distended small bowel loops filled with fluid. Colonoscopic finding showed huge purple-colored coil-spring lesion in the ascending colon. From this findings, we diagnosed a strangulated intussusception. Surgically removed specimen revealed a small intestinal lipoma.
Adult ; Male ; Female ; Humans